Lives of Alcyone

FORTY-SEVENTH LIFE 263
son, and that for all created beings you can feel nothing but love
evermore,, even for those who have injured you ?”
And Alcyone replied: “ Lord, this indeed is so; if my cousin’ s
wife has injured me, I have forgotten it. I give him freely all my
wealth, for I need it no longer. I have now in life only one desire, and
though it take me a thousand lives, I vow here at Thy feet that I will
never cease the effort until I shall have accomplished it. I vow to
follow Thee, to give myself as Thou hast done to help the suffering
world. Thou hast freed me from my sorrow, and brought me to
eternal peace. To that peace also will I bring the world, and to this I
consecrate my future lives, even until I shall be as Thou art, the
saviour of the World.”
And the Lord Buddha bowed His head and answered: “ As
thou sayest, so shall it be. I the Buddha, accept that vow which can
never be broken, and in the far distant ages it shall be fulfilled.”
And so He stretched out His hand and blessed him, and
Alcyone fell prostrate at His feet.
Then turning to Mizar, He said: “ You also shall follow me, but
not yet. There is still much for you to do. Take up this charge which
my new pupil has laid upon you. Take this which he gives you, for
he needs it no longer, for the riches of the good Law excel all other
wealth. Do justice and be merciful, and forget not that your time also
shall soon come.”
So He dismissed him with a blessing, but Alcyone remained
with Him, and followed Him thereafter in all His wanderings up and
down that fair northland of India.
Mizar after this returned home to fulfil his duties, as the Lord
Buddha told him to do; but because of the Buddha’ s teaching of